The purpose of this paper is to determine whether scientific or political methods were used by the of the United States Congress in the study of the nuclear waste storage facility in Yucca Mountain, Nevada. The history nuclear power and the history of the Johnston compromise that lead to the elimination of Texas and Washington States as possible sites for the repository is explained. A review of the conflicts between Nevada politicians and the U.S. Congress over the designation of Yucca Mountain as the sole study for a permanent storage site of the nation\u27s high-level nuclear waste is addressed along with the legal maneuvers used to delay the project. The controversy created by Engineering Geologist Szymanski \u27s study was discussed. The conclusion is that political methods were used to determine that Yucca Mountain, Nevada would be the site to be characterized and science would ascertain whether the site is suitable
